Furniture.



Nok/65,636. v l PATENTBD JULY.19,11904.

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FURNITURE.

` l APPLIUATION FILED HAR. 9, '1903. 4

N0 MODEL. A 2 SHEETS--SE'EET 1.

ATTORNEY,

lafxTENfrBD JULY 19, 1.904. C. L. RUEHS.y

n FURNITURE, APPLIOATION FILED MAB. 9, 1903.

SHEETS-SEEETVZ.

N0 MODEL.

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W/TNESSESI UNITED STATES Patented Juiy 19, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L. RUEHS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH F. BRAUN ANDJOSEPH Gr. KUENZINGE'R, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FURNITURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 765,636, dated July 19,1904.'

Application filed March 9, 1903. Serial No. 147,029. (Nomodelu T0 allwhom, t nfl/ty concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. RUEHS, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Furniture, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the construction of furniture ofthe class that combines in one structure more than one article or adevice that is capable of varied uses and which through certainmechanical movements and manipulations may be changed or converted fromone form having a distinct use to another form having a different use.

rIhe particular improvements which constitute the subject-matter of thisapplication for patent have relation to an article of furniture that maybe converted from a divan into a couch or lounge and into two separatearmchairs.

The especial object of the improvements invented by me is to provide anarticle of furniture of the type specified that will be handsome inappearance in any one of its various forms, following closely in itslines, style, and finish the popular and standard designs given tohighgrade and artistic articles of this kind in their separate forms,and therefore avoiding the clumsy and mechanical appearance whichcharacterizes a large proportion of the types of convertible articles offurniture.

A further object is to provide a piece of furniture of the compositestyle mentioned that will be perfectly comfortable in any of itsspeciiic forms, the construction permitting upholstering in theluxurious style known as Loverstulfed7 in which springs and deep tuftingare resorted to with a view of effecting maximum comfort and ease.

An additional object attained by my improvements is that the parts ofthe device may be. entirely separated and used independently of eachother as complete arm-chairs of the reclining type and having adjustablebacks.

My invention is intended for use in hotels, in railway-cars, in privatedwellings where the exigencies of occasions require quick provision forcomfortable sleeping accommodations, but where it is undesirable toerect or maintain bedsteads, and where space is at a premium, as in therooms of modern apartmeiit-buildings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,l

Referring to the general features shown in the drawings, A A representthe two complementary or main sections which constitute the completearticle of furniture as designedy by me, and as they are exactly alikein all respects the description of the details of one applies equallywell to the other, and the section A only will therefore be specified.These sections when placed together with their front edges in contactand locked together by suitable clasps and with their hinged elements orbacks upright or vertically arranged constitute a divan of Well-knownform and when arranged with the back of one section inclined and theother in horizontal position, as shown in Fig. l, form a lounge.The-secs tions when separated from "each other are complete chairs, eachof which is provided with suitable supporting-legs equipped withcasters, which facilitates the moving about of the articles and theirfree use as chairs wherever they may be placed and bearing but slightindications of any cooperative relation therebetween.

B represents the adjustable and reclining element which in theindividual section forms the chair-back, but when the sections areassembled constitutes the sides of the divan or the ends of the lounge.For convenience of description they will be hereinafter designated asthe backs D is the seat-frame, with which the back is pivotallyconnected, and C represents the adjust-able or movable arms, which atone end are pivoted to the back and at the other end are connected bythe link E with the seat-frame.

The seat-frame is built up of parallel side pieces (Z and front and rearcross-pieces (Z2, the ends of which are secured together to form arectangular frame the corners of which are supported by suitable legs.The frame is upbolstered by a suitable cushion G, preferably made in theoverstuffed style shown and with its front edge substantially straightand iiush with the outer faee'of the front cross-piece (Z2, so that whenthe sections A A are brought together to form a divan their respectivefront cross-pieces may be in juxtaposition, and the respective parts ofthe clasp (Z2 maybe interlocked, as shown in Fig. l. It willbeunderstood that a clasp is attached to both sides of the frame, thoughonly one is shown in the drawings. This construction and arrangementprovides a close joint between the two sections when assembled to form adivan or couch. Secured to the upper edge of the side pieces of theframe and at their rear ends are blocks (Z3, the inner face of which isreinforced by a flat metal plate (Zi to provide suitable bearings forthe pivots or pivotal connections for the back B, which are of wellknownform and constitute no part of my invention. and frame consists, inaddition to the plate (Z1, of a plate (Z5, secured to the back andhinged on the plate (Zf, of a notched lever pivoted on the plate (Z5, yapin (Z7, fixed in the plate (Z4, and a pivoted slotted link cZs, allarrangedand combined to permit the back to be adjusted at differentangles, whereby itmay be held in Aupright or recumbent positions.

Extending' across the seat-frame and having bearings m the side pieces(Z 1s a rockable rod f7, on the center of which is mounted a shortAcrank-arm f, on the free end of which is pivoted one end of the link f2,the other end of which is pivotally connected with the inner end of thelever F, which in turn is pivotally mounted in the hanger f, secured tothe rear cross-piece (Z2. Near the ends of the rockable rod are fixedcollars f5, to which are secured one end of springs f, the opposite endsof which are attached to hooks fs, fixed in the side pieces (Z near thefront cross-piece (Z2.

The connection between the backl Secured to the squared ends of therockable rod are curved links E, in the outer ends of which are fixedpins e, which work in the curved slot c2 in the plates c', secured tothe under side of the arms C, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3.

It will be apparent from the construction shown and described that byraising the free end of the lever F the rod f7 will be rocked throughthe medium of the link f 2 and crankarm f3, the effect of which will beto draw the curved links E toward the chair-back, their pins a movingthrough the slots 02, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, thusdrawing downwardly the outer ends of the arms C. Simultaneously withthis manipulation of the lever the back B is or may be caused to as-Lsume a recumbent position by operating the notched lever (Z6 and thelink (ZS. Vith the arms depressed and one of the backs B in a recumbentposition the device or article of furniture is ready for use as a couch,as shown in Fig. l.

It will be understood that the description given of one of the sectionsA A applies to both, as each part is equipped with all the elements setforth. ,When the sections are separate and used as chairs, their armsare upright in normal position, and the back may be tilted or reelinedwithout depressing the front ends of the arms.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

An article of furniture composed of two complementary sections, each ofsaid sections having a seat-frame, means for detachably connecting saidframes together, a back-frame pivotally and adjustably connected withthe seat-frame, arms pivoted on the back and having slots therein,curved links having pmsl working' in said slots, and means for operatingsaid links whereby the arms will be adjusted relative to the seat-frame,said means being secured on the seat-frame.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES L. RUEHS. fitnessesz JOSEPH F. BRAUN, Jos. G. KUENZINGER.v

